ATHLETICS: JASON GARDENER has admitted he has been out-shone by fellow Britons Dwain Chambers and Mark Lewis-Francis this season.

JASON GARDENER has admitted he has been out-shone by fellow Britons Dwain Chambers and Mark Lewis-Francis this season.

The world indoor 60 metres bronze medallist believes Chambers and Lewis-Francis, currently Europe's top two 100m sprinters, have already nailed down the first two places in the British World Championships squad.

Gardener feels there is now only one place up for grabs and he intends to start closing the gap at the Lausanne Super Grand Prix meeting tonight.

Gardener, who will be carrying British hopes at the meeting, said: "Mark and Dwain obviously have to be favourites for the first two places.

"But I am determined to make the side by getting the third spot. The more races I can get into before then, the better.

"My training has been going really well. Now I need to get it right in competition. Lausanne offers me that opportunity and I must take it.

"It will be a tough race but one I am looking forward to, particularly as I like runing in Lausanne."

Lausanne is renowned as one of the fastest tracks in the world and with former world record-holder Maurice Greene and his fellow American flyer Bernard Williams both competing, Gardener knows he faces an uphill battle.

Indeed, just qualifying for the final will be considered an achievement for the 'Bath Bullet', who has run only three 100m races this season.

Gardener only started his season a fortnight ago and his quickest time of 10.23 seconds is some way off the pace.

But Gardener is confident he can perform in Lausanne, where he ran his personal best of 9.99sec four years ago to become only the third Briton to break 10 seconds.